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Under Siege on Independence Day
I find myself a bit dejected on this, the Glorious Fourth in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty, and of the independence of the United States of America the two hundred forty-fifth.
By strange coincidence, on January 4 of this year, precisely 6 months ago, I wrote a post here at Ricochet titled What are the Central Principles of the American Founding? I proposed eleven such principles, based on the Declaration of Independence and the Preamble to the Constitution:
- Faith in God.
- Representative government.
- Promotion of morality under a system of justice.
- Equal application of the law to all people.
- Patriotic or nationalist commitment to the country.
- Strong law enforcement to secure the peace.
- Strong national defense.
- Promotion of the general welfare.
- An individual right to life.
- An individual right to liberty.
- An individual right to the pursuit of happiness.
There was pretty broad consensus on these among the relatively few Ricochetti who commented, with a notable dispute by one respondent about God. (If interested, the discussion is here.)
I find myself disheartened because I think that support for these principles is at the lowest point of my lifetime, and perhaps the lowest point in our history.
I would like to think that we are at the turn of the tide. Perhaps we are. It may be that the current public madness is the last paroxysm of a dying ideology, which I believe to be anti-American to its core. At the moment, I see few signs of this, and many indications that things are going to get worse.
Our friend Hank has a fine post today (here), quoting Churchill’s “never surrender” speech, delivered in the dark days of June 1940. Churchill had a hope, and it was us. Even if Britain were to fall, Churchill believed that “in God’s good time, the New World, with all its power and might” would “step[] forth to the rescue and the liberation of the old.” Where are we to look?
At the moment, it looks to me as if the New World has succumbed to the ideological and philosophical infection of the Old. The same Godless, materialistic, tribal systems of pathological thought that gave us both the Nazis and the Communists seem triumphant everywhere. It is a bit depressing.
But it’s worse, because I see almost no one publicly defending American ideals. I do not see a consensus — even among Republicans, even among conservatives — for the ideals of America that I summarized above. We have an abundance of pluribus, and a paucity of unum.
This is because we do not share a common culture, common values, or common faith. This is unfortunate. Of course, it’s a free country, and each of you is free to believe what you wish. For my part, I believe that I hold firmly to each and every one of the founding principles of America.
I do not despair, because I know where sovereignty truly lies. Another great Virginian, Patrick Henry, said in 1775:
Besides, sir, we shall not fight our battles alone. There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations, and who will raise up friends to fight our battles for us. The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave.
I think that we are in a difficult time of trial, and that there is worse to come. My intent is to kneel only before God, and to stand for our flag and our anthem. I pray that I will not fail the tests to come.
I will do this alone, if necessary. I do not think that I am alone.
Published in General
I am not seeing very many Churchills today. I hear from a lot anti-Churchills. The Democrats are using the chaos to gain power, so they will be no help as there is more power for them to gain. The GOP leaders are mostly hiding hoping to get eaten last. I think the Boomers and Gen-X are going to have to step up and rely on their personal memories of the the dark times of a generation ago as motivation to turn this around. We cannot count on corporations or religious institutions to help us. This is going to have to saved from the ground up.
Write everyone in a position of power and speak up.
* America good
* Capitalism good
* Marxism bad
* Socialism bad
* Communism bad
My tendency to procrastination has, typically, prevented me from completing an intended post on Madison’s Federalist 10.
Thanks for the excellent opportunity to put in a plug for it and encourage others to give it a read.
I hadn’t read this in quite a while. Thanks for the link.
Madison seems to be incorrect in two of the major points of his argument (perhaps more, but two occur to me on a quick reading). In fairness, he didn’t have the benefit of our 230-odd years of experience under the Constitution. The two that appear incorrect to me are:
I look forward to further discussion in your upcoming post.
Radicals will not stop until they have taken away every symbol of American greatness that we have. Today…July 4th!…NPR was re-litigating the sins of Thomas Jefferson.
What’s your expected life span?
On a serious note, I’d say the jury is still out on those.
When we eat bad food, our body rejects it, with a protective vomit response, and not always a singular incident.
The left has near unfettered control of the internet, and the media. On the surface, that seems bad.
I think of that verse that says, “You meant it for evil, G-d meant it for Good.”
I claim that promise.
Those with eyes will see. Those with ears will listen.
Nice list Jerry.
I find myself disheartened because I think that support for these principles is at the lowest point of my lifetime, and perhaps the lowest point in our history.
That may be true but it also may be that many are waking up the threat the Marxist/Progressive Cabal is to America. Yes, many of our young are throughly brainwashed into hating America, but I think many who have jobs and responsibilities are seriously worried about the future these Marxist have in store for them. I talk to young people all the time who are very frightened by what the Marxist Democrats are doing.